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Look Who’s Dancing!™ is a special entertainment event organized to benefit the New Mexico State University DanceSport Company. The event is hosted by Big Band Dance Club and other community partners. In 2009, our co-host was Dance Universe, Inc.; and in 2010, our co-hosts were the DanceSport Society and the NMSU Dance Program.
The purpose of the event is to promote social dancing in the community as a healthful and enjoyable activity for all ages and all skill levels, and especially to benefit the DanceSport Company.
What is the event?
Each year, Las Cruces community leaders and local personalities, along with their DanceSport partners, compete against each other in this spirited and friendly contest. Competitive performances were presented in February 2009 and March 2010 at the Pan American Center on the NMSU campus. 2010 First place winner Dr. Brian Gilbert and his DanceSport partner, Kelcy Wilcox.
The talented DanceSport students choreograph the dances, instruct, and perform with the local celebrities. Each couple performs two dances. In 2009, all couples danced the American Foxtrot, and in 2010, they danced the Waltz. The second dance in either year could include American Tango, Bolero, Cha Cha, East Coast Swing, Mambo, Paso Doble, Quickstep, Rumba, or Samba. The celebrity contestants and winners are shown in the table below.
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2010 |
2009 |
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First Place Second Place Third Place Entertainment Award People’s Choice Award Dolores Connor, City Councillor Margie Huerta, President, Doña Ana Community College Kelly McKee, Head Football Coach, Oñate High School |
First Place Susana Martinez District Attorney Second Place KC Counts 101 Gold Third Place Ruben Smith Former Mayor Jim Dewey Brown, NMSU Rodeo Coach Leslie Cervantes, Public Schools Emily Guerra, KRWG-FM Jim T. Martin, District Judge Wanda Mattiace, Owner, Adventure Travel Terrence Moore, City Manager Bob Talamini, Super Bowl III Champ Karen Trujillo, Catholic School Adolf Zubia, Fire Chief |
The Awards.
First-, second- and third-place winners receive mirror ball trophies. In 2010, two new awards were added: the Entertainment Award, and the People’s Choice Award. The Entertainment Award was decided by three judges who were competitors in 2009: Susana Martinez, Ruben Smith, and Wanda Mattiace. The People’s Choice Award was decided by just that … the people. Audience members were encouraged to vote for their favorite competitors by placing a dollar per vote into specially marked containers to determine the category winner.
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2009 First place winner Susana Martinez and her DanceSport partner, John Giusto. |
Social Dance After the Competition
A new feature was added to the 2010 event. Immediately following the competition, ticketholders were invited to dance to live music for two hours at no additional cost. Bob Burns and the Mike Caranda Orchestra, featuring singer Judy Day, provided the music. The twelve-piece big-band style orchestra also includes Ruben Smith on the saxophone. Smith was a crowd favorite and third-place winner in the 2009 “Look Who’s Dancing!”™
Top it Off with Dessert and Champagne!
After the 2010 competition, the students of NMSU's School of Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism Management hosted a sidewalk café called the "Tango Terrace" where attendees could buy delicious desserts. At the cash bar, champagne, wine, beer, water and coffee were available.
For more information about "Look Who’s Dancing!™" link to dance.nmsu.edu/lookwhosdancing.
Look Who’s Dancing! Is a copyright of the Big Band Dance Club 2009
